Art administrator Wang Yihan

China's growing contemporary art market is finding success at all levels with artists, curators and investors all benefiting from the recent boom. The burgeoning industry is also opening doors for young art graduates who are choosing administration as an alternative career path.

When Wang Yihan was an art student, she never pictured herself as a successful curator and art dealer. Although she had dreams of becoming an artist when she was a little girl, her expectations went no further than teaching art at university.

With a bachelor's degree in art education from Anhui Province, Wang then moved to Beijing to further her studies and gained a master's degree in oil painting from Capital Normal University.

"Being a professional painter was not the only career choice of many art students," Wang, 33, explained. "So I thought if I could enjoy painting in my spare time, it would be good enough."

While pursuing her post-graduate studies, she landed a job at Soka Art Center that sells contemporary art and is an agent for art works by outstanding Chinese artists.

With experience in the commercial side of the art business, Wang began working at China International Gallery Exposition (CIGE), a major art firm that organizes one of China's largest art fairs each year. Just two years later, Wang became the director of the company. Her move into art administration is typical of the changing face of China's art world. The business of wheeling and dealing is creating new opportunities for graduates and artists alike.

According to Wang, China's contemporary art market has changed dramatically in recent years. Things have improved greatly for modern artists and in her opinion there are more and more opportunities in the art sphere at all levels.

"Now many artists can paint for a living; their works sell," Wang said. "Even compared with foreign artists, Chinese artists are enjoying a better way of life."

Despite recent success, some critics have questioned the sustainability of China's commercial contemporary art market and the possibility of the bubble bursting.

"I believe that the business of buying and selling art is healthy," Wang explained. "It's like the nature of beer – it must have some bubbles to hit the spot."

"On the one hand, the high prices attract many more people unfamiliar with the art market," she said. "But then they are often surprised by the high prices."

"On the other hand, the skyrocketing growth of this industry will hurt people. For example, young artists can be disillusioned when they realize how rich an artist can be; they set an infl ated price for their works. Motives like that actually undermine their creativity," she added.

Wang said that it is also important that investors are prudent about their purchases, she said that she always encourages thorough research and knowledge of the artist and market before investing.

"Investors must be aware that the nature of investment lies in taking risks," Wang continued.

She advised that the only way to invest art wisely is to have strong background knowledge. "Visiting exhibitions, communicating more with art administrators, reading more books in order to build up one's taste in art and learning how to appreciate art is how to do it. You must do research otherwise you'll pay for it."

The ever-growing prosperity of China's art industry is also drawing more and more young people to the fields of management and art administration. As the director of CIGE,Wang is often approached by young people keen to enter the industry.

"I'm always grateful to my mentor from Capital Normal University, from whom I learnt about taste," Wang said. "You must be able to fully understand things you work on."

Despite some perceptions that art dealing is a flamboyant profession, Wang said that most of her time is spent reading and researching.